• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.289-303
• /
• 2015

This study presents a strategy so-called Subspace Search Mechanism (SSM) for reducing the computational time for convergence of population based metaheusristic algorithms. The selected metaheuristic for this study is the Cuckoo Search algorithm (CS) dealing with size optimization of trusses. The complexity of structural optimization problems can be partially due to the presence of high-dimensional design variables. SSM approach aims to reduce dimension of the problem. Design variables are categorized to predefined groups (subspaces). SSM focuses on the multiple use of the metaheuristic at hand for each subspace. Optimizer updates the design variables for each subspace independently. Updating rules require candidate designs evaluation. Each candidate design is the assemblage of responsible set of design variables that define the subspace of interest. SSM is incorporated to the Cuckoo Search algorithm for size optimizing of three small, moderate and large space trusses. Optimization results indicate that SSM enables the CS to work with less number of population (42%), as a result reducing the time of convergence, in exchange for some accuracy (1.5%). It is shown that the loss of accuracy can be lessened with increasing the order of complexity. This suggests its applicability to other algorithms and other complex finite element-based engineering design problems.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.119-129
• /
• 2013

Nonlinear Static Procedures (NSPs) have been developed as a practical tool to estimate the seismic demand of structures. Several researches have accomplished to minimize errors of NSPs, namely pushover procedures, in the Nonlinear Time History Analysis (NTHA), as the most exact method. The most important issue in a typical pushover procedure is the pattern and technique of loading which are extracted based on structural dynamic fundamentals. In this paper, the coefficients of modal force combination is focused involving a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm to find the optimum load pattern which results in a response with minimum amount of errors in comparison to the NTHA counterpart. Other parameters of the problem are based on the FEMA recommendations for pushover analysis of building structures. The proposed approach is implemented on a high-rise 20 storey concrete moment resisting frame under three earthquake records. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the studied procedure the results are presented beside other well-known pushover methods such as MPA and the FEMA procedures, and the results show the efficiency of the proposed load patterns.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.404-409
• /
• 2021

Background To date, there are no consensus guidelines for management of lymphatic leak in groin vascular reconstruction patients. The goal of this study is to review the relevant literature to determine alternatives for treatment and to design an evidence-based algorithm to minimize cost and morbidity and maximize efficacy. Methods A systematic review of the literature was conducted per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. Two independent reviewers applied agreed-upon inclusion and exclusion criteria to eligible records. Studies that included patients who underwent groin dissection for oncologic diagnoses and level 5 data were excluded. Interventions were then categorized by efficacy using predetermined criteria. Results Our search yielded 333 records, of which eight studies were included. In four studies, the success of lymphatic ligation ranged from 75% to 100%, with average days to resolution ranging from 0 to 9. Conservative management in the form of elevation, compression, and bedrest may prolong time to resolution of lymphatic leak (14-24 days) and therefore cost. Conclusions The majority of patients should be offered early operative intervention in the form of lymphatic ligation with or without a primary muscle flap. If the patient is not an operative candidate, a trial of conservative management should be attempted before other nonsurgical interventions.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.20
• /
• pp.295-321
• /
• 2010

The trend of globalization has sharpened the debate on interculturality, which scholars examine from different and often conflicting points of view ('content' vs. 'practice', 'culture-specific' vs. 'universal', 'communication (meta)theory' vs. 'communication practice', 'individual' vs. 'collective', etc.). Whereas all these approaches are necessary to describe the multiple dimensions of interculturality, their dichotomous nature does not help to account for its internal complexity, which cannot be dissociated from the connections that exist among all these dimensions. The difficulty posed by the essentialist interpretations that tend to result from these dichotomies is compounded by the fact that in postmodern debates priority has been given to approaches that emphasize individual or collective agency over structural constraints which have to do with political economy or with cultural and linguistic codes and traditions. This paper aims mainly at suggesting that the dissolution of the boundaries that exist between these approaches should be pursued in order to get a fuller and richer approach to their common object of study. After discussing, by way of illustration, content-based and practice-based perspectives, we suggest that one way of getting beyond these dichotomies consists in focusing on the 'interactional' dimension of interculturality, which means laying emphasis on intersubjectivity and, particularly, on the individual subjects considered as members of different cultural communities who strive to transcend their sociocultural boundaries in order to reach harmonious interactions in a world in which inequality and the de-territorialization of people and cultures are central features.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.291-302
• /
• 2019

Median sternotomy is the most popular approach in cardiac surgery. Post-sternotomy wound complications are rare, but the occurrence of a deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a catastrophic event associated with higher morbidity and mortality, longer hospital stays, and increased costs. A literature review was performed by searching PubMed from January 1996 to August 2017 according to the guidelines in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. The following keywords were used in various combinations: DSWI, post-sternotomy complication, and sternal reconstruction. Thirty-nine papers were included in our qualitative analysis, in which each aspect of the DSWI-related care process was analyzed and compared to the actual standard of care. Plastic surgeons are often involved too late in such clinical scenarios, when previous empirical treatments have failed and a definitive reconstruction is needed. The aim of this comprehensive review was to create an up-to-date operative flowchart to prevent and properly treat sternal wound infection complications after median sternotomy.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
• /
• v.8 no.6
• /
• pp.19-29
• /
• 2022

Business intelligence (BI) is a process for turning data into insights that inform an organization's strategic and tactical decisions. BI aims to give decision-makers the information they need to make better decisions Patient safety analysis, illness surveillance, and fraud identification are just a few healthcare decision-making processes that can be supported by data mining. Thus, the purpose of the current research is to outline the need if BI as an essential factor in the healthcare sector by reviewing various scholarly materials and the findings. The present author conducted one of the most famous qualitative literature approach which has been called as PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) statement. The selecting criteria for eligible prior studies were estimated by whether studies are suitable for the current research, identifying they are peer-reviewed and issued by notable publishers between 2017 and 2022. According to the result based on the PRISMA analysis, BI plays a vital role in the healthcare sector and there are four business intelligence factors (Data, Analytic, Reporting, and Visualization) that will ensure that the healthcare sector provides the right healthcare services to the customers to be addressed in this section include; data, analytics, reporting, and visualization.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.274-284
• /
• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and characteristics of health care programs for pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Korea. Methods: This study was conducted according to the Cochrane Collaboration's systematic literature review handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guideline. We searched eight international and domestic electronic databases for relevant studies. Two reviewers independently selected the studies and extracted data. For each study, information on the research method, participants, characteristics of the program, and results were extracted using a previously established coding table. The National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency's risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized studies was used to assess the risk of bias of the included articles. A qualitative review of the selected studies was performed because the interventions differed considerably and the measured outcomes varied. Results: Out of 128 initially identified papers, seven were included in the final analysis. The risk of bias was evaluated as generally low. Health care programs for pregnant women with GDM showed positive effects on blood glucose control. Anxiety and depression were reduced, and self-management and self-care behavior, self-efficacy, and maternal identity improved. Conclusion: Our study provides clinical evidence for the effectiveness of health care programs for pregnant women with GDM, and its results can be used to support the development of health care programs for GDM. More well-designed research is needed on GDM, especially studies that deal with emotional stress and apply a family-oriented approach.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.81-91
• /
• 2022

Purpose - This study explores the role played by the government in spreading corporate green IT. Indeed, a lot of evidence is emerging that governments acting independently are not in a position of attaining the far end economic and social changes need for the realization of green IT. As much as matters about green IT was initiated by many governments. Research design, Data, and methodology - This study selected the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) as a research design. The PRISMA is recognized for its standard evidence reporting system and can provide adequate systematic review among previous studies. Result - A lot of consensus leads to the acquisition of the value of corporate green IT concerning the effectiveness of the collaboration. This study could obtain six suggestions from the systematic review, such as 'Rebalancing Government and Public Duties', 'Direct Regulation', 'Marketing Tools and Fiscal or Economic Measures', 'VNRP', 'Education for Decision Making', 'Latest Policy Trends within the G8 Nations'. Conclusion - The most challenging aspect when it comes to ensuring corporate green IT is the separation of economic growth from the perspectives regarding life qualities. According to the study (Falcone, 2020), this needs a second policy-oriented wedge concerning re-socialization with the desire of encouraging the development of the culture associated with the corporate green IT.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.243-259
• /
• 2023

Machine learning and deep learning (ML/DL) algorithms have been successfully applied in medical practice. However, their application in veterinary medicine is relatively limited, possibly due to a lack in the quantity and quality of relevant research. Because the potential demands for ML/DL applications in veterinary clinics are significant, it is important to note the current gaps in the literature and explore the possible directions for advancement in this field. Thus, a scoping review was conducted as a situation analysis. We developed a search strategy following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed and Embase databases were used in the initial search. The identified items were screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Information regarding model development, quality of validation, and model performance was extracted from the included studies. The current review found 55 studies that passed the criteria. In terms of target animals, the number of studies on industrial animals was similar to that on companion animals. Quantitative scarcity of prediction studies (n = 11, including duplications) was revealed in both industrial and non-industrial animal studies compared to diagnostic studies (n = 45, including duplications). Qualitative limitations were also identified, especially regarding validation methodologies. Considering these gaps in the literature, future studies examining the prediction and validation processes, which employ a prospective and multi-center approach, are highly recommended. Veterinary practitioners should acknowledge the current limitations in this field and adopt a receptive and critical attitude towards these new technologies to avoid their abuse.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.1276-1295
• /
• 2023

Sensor networks are now an essential aspect of wireless communication, especially with the introduction of new gadgets and protocols. Their ability to be deployed anywhere, especially where human presence is undesirable, makes them perfect choices for remote observation and control. Despite their vast range of applications from home to hostile territory monitoring, limited battery power remains a limiting factor in their efficacy. To analyze and transmit data, it requires intelligent use of available battery power. Several studies have established effective routing algorithms based on clustering. However, choosing optimal cluster heads and similarity measures for clustering significantly increases computing time and cost. This work proposes and implements a simple two-phase technique of route creation and maintenance to ensure route reliability by employing nature-inspired ant colony optimization followed by the fuzzy decision engine (FDE). Benchmark methods such as PSO, ACO and GWO are compared with the proposed HRCM's performance. The objective has been focused towards establishing the superiority of proposed work amongst existing optimization methods in a standalone configuration. An average of 15% improvement in energy consumption followed by 12% improvement in latency reduction is observed in proposed hybrid model over standalone optimization methods.